WTF #Wearables: making wearables useful

Posted on May 4th, 2015

Liza Kindred @ThirdWaveFashion talked about the 9 billion connected devices that populate our world and why many only clutter our lives. She first compared the me-too products such as “just another fit band” versus some products she sees as both innovative and useful:

June UV monitoring bracelet – limit sum exposure for skin cancer

Color correcting glasses – to help those with specific types of color blindness

Motion sensing baby monitor – to avoid SIDS

Motorola Tattoo – unlock a user’s mobile device display with only the use of their voice that is monitored by an electronic skin tattoo.

Liza next talked about some guidelines she recommends when developing a new wearable :

No more novelty – create only for utility or joy

Future proof the technology – devices can be upgraded

Provide security – device needs to be secure

Build for the network – talk to each other

Build wearables for humans – make the interaction natural

Blend fashion with technology – people are going to want to wear what we create

Narrow the digital divide

Make something the world needs – e.g. the Kite patch makes humans invisible to mosquitoes.

She summarized her thoughts in three key questions for users and developers/designers: